Zika Vaccine: Takeda Initiates Phase 1 Trial of TAK-426

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited today announced that its purified, inactivated, alum-adjuvanted, whole Zika virus vaccine candidate (TAK-426) has progressed into a Phase 1 clinical trial, approximately 15 months after Takeda received a contract to develop a Zika vaccine from the U.S. federal government.

The randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial is designed to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the investigational vaccine candidate in 240 male and female subjects between the ages of 18 and 49. The Phase 1 trial also will assess several dose levels of the vaccine candidate to support the progression of TAK-426 into future studies.2

The trial will take place in the continental U.S. and U.S. territories and is being conducted under a U.S. Investigational New Drug (IND) application.

Takeda was selected by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) in September 2016 to develop a vaccine to support the Zika response effort in the U.S. and affected regions around the world. BARDA is part of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.

“We are pleased to reach this important milestone, which reflects our commitment to addressing the Zika threat, as well as the significant capabilities of Takeda’s global organization,” said Rajeev Venkayya, MD, President of the Global Vaccine Business Unit at Takeda. “This progress could not have been possible without the ongoing support of, and collaboration with, BARDA.”

In recent years, the Zika virus has had a devastating impact, spreading across more than 84 countries, territories or subnational areas, including the U.S. Given the public health threat posed by Zika, Takeda mobilized a multifunctional team immediately following signature of the contract with BARDA and has prioritized all aspects of the development program, enabling the Phase 1 trial to start within 15 months of funding.

Initial data from ZIK-101 are expected in 2018, and, if available Phase 1 data support it, Takeda will work toward initiating Phase 2 studies as soon as possible.